ASU Center for the Study of Race and Democracy

The ASU Center for the Study of Race and Democracy is honored to continue its partnership with Vision and Sound: An African American Experience and with the Sedona Arts Center.

Lois Brown, PhD, is ASU Foundation Professor of English and Director of the Center that is the only only entity at ASU and in the state of Arizona that positions race and democracy in direct relation with each other. The Center advances initiatives and creates programs that intensify engagement with race and democracy in the context of education, social justice, public history, poverty and economic opportunity, the arts, law, government, the sciences and the environment.

The Center for the Study of Race and Democracy is the only entity at ASU and in the state of Arizona to position race and democracy in direct relation with each other. We model and sustain broadly embedded and academically rooted studies of race and democracy. The Center is known within and beyond the university for its spirited and innovative programming on issues of race, democracy and the known and understudied impact of systemic and institutional racism and undemocratic practices.

The Center is a destination for those determined and willing to grapple with pressing issues such as equity in education, health, and housing; race, gender and civic discourse; race, place and public memory, and emerging technologies of democracy. We facilitate powerful and informed dialogues through programs such as the acclaimed annual programs Delivering Democracy and Social Cohesion Dialogues, our Impact Arizona series, Race, Arts and Democracy Series, the Created Equal Film and Arts Series, and our mobile writing workshops series Words on Wheels. Our programs and events feature experts and changemakers, thought leaders and accomplished professionals who engage with and inspire our audiences. Distinctive lectures, effective workshops, and meaningful collaborations are signatures of the Center.

Vision and Sound is a vital component of the Center’s Race, Arts and Democracy programming. Each year, the Vision and Sound artists inspire us with their courage, genius and innovation. Their work in diverse, experimental and traditional mediums expands our state-wide awareness and attention to the work and missions of African American artists in Arizona.

Lois Brown, PhD Director Center for the Study of Race and Democracy